Learning is not a secret. Access to the facts we learn in school is open to everyone who is interested and able to learn. How do schools determine the best ways in which to present the information deemed important? How do they build student skills and improve their practice?

In industry, much of what comes to market is kept in labs and top secret files until it is ready to go public. Many iterations occur, each one slightly different than the last. Only the few people directly involved in a project are informed about the work. The edge that comes with releasing a new product is critical to a company’s success.

Schools operate differently. We learn from each other, asking questions of another school or offering information to questions posed online or in person. We don’t have to wait until someone lets the secret formula out to benefit from it. Most of what schools teach is open to others. Methods may adapt over time, research may be done, testing may occur, but in the end, anyone in education can learn from what others are doing. The difference is not typically the content or curriculum but the delivery. Teachers building relationships, honoring individual students’ learning styles and working on behalf of their students is the secret to learning. It’s a secret that is open to all willing to put in the effort. Most of us can recall a teacher who took the time to get to know us and make us feel important. Can you?